Hello

Hi Nancy!

I thought I'd reply since I was down in the basement anyways.

Pax Lodge is always changing, its been a constant change since I arrived. It just seems lot worse right now because of the types of people we have here. In regards to the HAs, they are a very self centered group. This place cannot function with egocentrism. We need to operate as a team and be prepared for a bit of give and take. These girls don't understand that. They don't know what hard work is!! As for the rest of the staff, there are some big changes, and the level of patience has dropped. Everyone gets very snappy very quickly.

And just a tip, I am not the right person to be asking about spelling!! You ask Erin, I am terrible! I always have been. My English teachers loved me in the sense I was quite fluent with my writing and incredible even. But it was my ability to spell which let me down!

The ACT is an abbreviation for the Australian Capital Territory. Canberra, the Capital City of Australia. It is a territory, hence the abbreviation. Saying the ACT is easier than Canberra. I just forget that sometimes not everyone who receives my bulk e-mails will understand that!

A meat pie is a very Australian thing to have!! They're usually eaten at a Football Match (Australian rules, a cross between Rugby and Soccer) with tomato sauce (wait, Ketchup). Depending on where you buy them, they are usually the size of your palm and are basically a pie base with meat and gravy in them (again this varies) and a pastry lid on top. A good pie will be really thick. A well known brand is Four N Twenty and you'll often hear some say "I'd Love a Four N Twenty" and that's what they'll mean. There might be a better explanation in the book I sent if mine didn't make sense.

The WalkAbout is a string of so called Australian Pubs in London. If you ask me, they are what I call Occa Australian. Very stereotypical. And nothing like the pubs I've been to at home...but then I guess i do go to Irish Pubs to hear the live bands. But yes, there are at least a dozen WalkAbouts scattered across London and they get very full and popular and terrible places to be on a Friday and Saturday night because the place gets full of drunk, bum pinching wannabes. As you can see, not my favourite place to go! But it was Australia Day and it was only for a couple of hours during the day. Something different really.

Australia Day at home is a Public Holiday usually spent at a relatives place eating salad and sizzling meat from the barbecue. Stinking hot day with the Cricket on TV! Most people drink, I don't usually. But its a day of rest and catch up. That's just in case you didn't get enough family splendour at Christmas. Good grief!

Memoirs of a Geisha. I've always been very fascinated by other cultures. I found the story of the movie to be quite heavy in the sense it's not a light hearted movie. But the subject matter isn't light hearted either. In saying that, I really did enjoy it and for the first time in a long time looked at the movie as a story as opposed to looking at the technical elements of it. By studying film making in High School I forever changed the enjoyment I'd get out of seeing a movie! Its taken a bit of practice to see a movie as a story again! I think its definitely worth seeing. I cried so if you have a tendency to be sensitive or mushy in a romantic way, take tissues!! I didn't and had to use my sleeve!

No worries about the whole grilling thing, I seriously don't mind! And anytime you have any questions you think I could answer for you, just let me know and I'll give it my best shot!!

For now I am off to bed, am a bit tired tonight. I don't know why, I haven't done an awful lot!
Take care,
Rachael :-)